The Christmas Wedding Ring

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue (#ulink_c9836cdf-483e-54f3-9d39-dab8234f84fd)

Fourteen years ago—December 22

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and this company...”

Molly Anderson tuned out the minister’s words and sighed impatiently. She wasn’t interested in being gathered together or standing through what promised to be a long, boring ceremony. She didn’t want to be here, and if the truth be told, her sister, the bride, didn’t want her here, either. But their mother had insisted.

“Whatever will people think if little Molly isn’t in the wedding?” her mother had asked. “Janet, make her one of your bridesmaids. You’re going to have so many that she won’t be in the way. If Molly is at the end of the line, she’ll be up against the wall of the church. No one will even see her.”

Molly raised her chin slightly. She knew she wasn’t supposed to have heard that conversation. She hadn’t really been eavesdropping. She’d just sorta been walking by the dining room. And it was her house, too, even if everyone seemed to forget that she lived there! She tightened her grip on her spray of ridiculous poinsettias. Poinsettias! Janet could’ve gone with red roses for her Christmas-themed wedding, but no, she had to choose poinsettias, which were already looking droopy, and the wedding had barely begun.

It didn’t matter, she thought grimly. Janet hadn’t wanted her to be in the wedding, and she, Molly, was only here because she’d been threatened with “severe punishment” if she didn’t cooperate.

She shifted until she was able to lean against the wooden paneling of the church wall. The service continued. Molly watched without a whole lot of interest. This wasn’t her idea of a romantic wedding at all. If nothing else, the bride and groom should be in love. But Janet was marrying Thomas because he was a successful lawyer and his family owned a huge law firm in San Francisco. Thomas was marrying Janet because she was beautiful. Janet got nearly everything because she was beautiful.

She made a stunning bride. Even Molly was willing to concede that. The silk-and-lace gown accentuated Janet’s model-thin figure and sleek dark hair. She would look perfect in every picture. It wasn’t fair, Molly thought as she tugged on the waist of her too-tight tea-length gown. Green, of course. Her least favorite color in the whole world.

The style didn’t suit her at all. For one thing, it was too sophisticated. At fourteen she was the youngest of the bridesmaids. She was also the shortest. Janet’s friends were tall and willowy, like Janet herself. Molly didn’t consider five foot four short, but compared with the rest of the family, she was practically an elf. Just one more reason she didn’t fit in the family with—

The skin at the back of her neck prickled. Molly straightened, then turned to glance over her shoulder. A shadow moved into view at the rear of the church, backlit by the soft lights on the tall Christmas tree in the foyer. The shadow became a man, and her breath caught in her throat. Dylan! He was here!

She’d wondered if he would show up to see Janet marry someone else. Was he tortured by the ceremony? Did he want to stalk up the center aisle and claim Janet as his own? Molly was torn. Although she would have loved the drama of the event, she didn’t want dumb old Janet marrying anyone as wonderful as Dylan. He was too...everything.

Knowing that her mother was going to kill her and figuring it would be worth it, Molly slipped down the side aisle toward the rear of the church. She moved quietly, and as far as she could tell, no one noticed her departure. As she stepped into the foyer, she saw Dylan had already walked out into the afternoon.

“Dylan,” she called as she hurried after him. When she reached the stairs leading down to the sidewalk, she skidded to a stop.

His black motorcycle was parked at the curb. There were compartments on either side and a bundle tied onto the area behind his seat. Realization dawned, and with it, a piercing pain in her chest.

“You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question.

He heard her and turned. “Hey, kid. What’s up?”

She clutched her poinsettas and stared at him. “You’re leaving,” she repeated. “Why?”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing for me here. Not anymore.”

While the rest of the country battled blizzards, here the weather was perfect, the kind of day Southern California was known for. Bright blue sky, balmy temperature, a soft breeze. No doubt Janet had made arrangements for this weather well in advance. But all the loveliness of the day was nothing when compared with the beauty that was Dylan Black.

He was tall, just over six feet, with dark hair and eyes. His black leather jacket made his broad shoulders seem enormous. Jeans hugged his butt and thighs. He wore dark boots and an earring. Molly quivered just thinking about it all. He was her reason for living.

“You can’t go,” she said as she hurried down to stand next to him. “It’s only three days till Christmas.”

He gave her an easy smile, the one that made her forget to breathe.

Dylan had first entered her life two years earlier, when Janet had started dating him. For the most part Molly hadn’t paid much attention to her sister’s boyfriends. They’d all been boring. But Dylan was different. Her diary was a testament to his virtues—as she saw them, anyway. The boys her own age had become insignificant by comparison. He actually noticed her and spoke to her. He teased her about being smart, seemed interested in her classes, and he treated her like a real person. If that wasn’t heavenly enough, he never made fun of her braces, her bad skin or her baby fat. For the past two years, Molly had been praying Dylan would see what a tool Janet was and notice her instead.

She’d gotten the first part of her wish. Janet and Dylan had broken up, but her sister had been the one to end the relationship...and Dylan hadn’t turned to Molly for comfort.

“It’s time for me to move on,” he said now as he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “It’s the way of the world, kid. But I’m gonna miss you.”

“Really?” Her voice came out in a squeak.

“Sure. We’re buddies.” He gave her a sad smile that didn’t reach his beautiful eyes.

Buddies? She bit back a sigh. Okay, she’d been hoping for more, but she could live with that.

“Where are you going to go?” she asked. “You’re not going to be alone for Christmas, are you? I don’t think I could stand that.”

He shrugged. “Away from here. I thought I might try racing.” He jerked his head toward his bike. “I’m pretty good on that thing.”

“You’re the best.” She pressed her bouquet to her chest.

If only she could ask him to take her with him. Molly exhaled. She might have a crush on Dylan, but she wasn’t stupid. He was good to her, but he just saw her as Janet’s little sister. If only she had a way of making him stay.

“You can’t go,” she said, remembering something important “You promised me an adventure. With you. Remember? When I grow up.”

This time the smile did reach his eyes. He stretched out his hand and touched her cheek. “Yeah, I remember. We’re going away on my bike.”

“Right. Well, I’m going to be grown up soon. If you’re gone, how can I find you so we can take that trip? You wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”

“Come here,” he said gruffly, and held out his arms.

In his worn leather jacket and scuffed boots, he looked like an outlaw. Molly had never been in love before, but she knew she would never feel this way about another man, ever.

She rushed toward him. He captured her and pulled her hard against him. The poinsettias were crushed between them, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered but being close to Dylan.

She’d been hugged before, but those had been boys and Dylan was very much a man. She tried to notice everything so she could remember it and think about it later. She had a bad feeling that he was going to leave her with little more than memories.

She laid her cheek against his shoulder and felt the cool smoothness of the leather. She inhaled the scent of him and absorbed the warmth of his body. He was strong and lean, and he held her as if she really mattered. Then he stepped back.

“I’ve gotta go,” he said.

She nodded. “I understand. It’s too hard to stay around here. You still love her.”

One side of his mouth quirked up at the corner. “If this is love, it hurts like hell.” He thought for a moment. “Tell you what, Molly. When you’re all grown up and ready for that adventure, you come find me. Give me this. We’ll go anywhere you want.”

With that, he shoved his hand into his front pocket. When he pulled it out, he was holding a narrow, plain gold band. Molly sucked in a breath. It was, she knew, a wedding ring he must have bought for her sister.

“I didn’t know,” she whispered. The line “five golden rings” sang through her head, and she thought fervently that one ring would do. If only Dylan had bought it for her, and given it to her because he loved her as much as she loved him.